When Should Kittens Have Shots

The first vaccinations should be given to kittens from around eight to nine weeks of age.

When should kittens have shots. The series of kitten shots should begin when your kitten is a few weeks old or when you get a new cat. This timing is important too early and the antibodies they receive from their mother will interfere with the immune response to the vaccine preventing it from working properly. See the kitten vaccine schedule for more. Kittens should have their first set of vaccinations at nine weeks old and at three months old they should receive the second set to boost their immune system.

Protection from maternal antibodies generally fades somewhere between the ages of eight and 18 weeks. Too late and kittens will be left susceptible to infection. Kittens should be vaccinated starting at 6 weeks old with the shots ending at around 19 weeks old with boosters afterwards to keep their immunization strong. Kittens are vaccinated once every three to four weeks until they reach 16 weeks of age or older.

There is no easy way to know exactly when a kitten is vulnerable to a specific disease. Rabies is the other core kitten vaccination. 6 8 weeks old or when you get your new cat. However to avoid over vaccination most veterinarians will recommend starting the vaccine at 8 weeks of age followed by boosters at 12 weeks and 16 weeks old.

Complete kitten vaccine schedule. Your vet will follow up these shots with regular booster visits which will continue for a few months.